Are you looking for a career within the legal advice sector? Are you passionate about the study of the law? If so, then a legal advice course may just be perfect for you.

The contract hours required from students are particularly high and despite this, candidates will be expected to engage with critical legal texts in their spare time. Hard workers with excellent time management skills tend to be the most successful on this course.

Similarly in order to cope academically with the course content, students should be capable of logical thought process as well as having strong analytical skills in order to interpret case studies and legal theory.

Many students who study Legal Advice courses do so with the intention of pursuing a career in an advisory capacity within the legal system, pursuing careers as legal researchers, tax advisors or Legal secretaries, responsible for the collation of legal information and research.

Of course it isn’t essential for a legal advice graduate to pursue a career that utilises their knowledge of the legal system. There is a wide range of transferrable skills you will learn as part of your course which maximises employability upon graduation. Business and finance, human resources, accountancy and journalism are all popular career paths.

Similarly, a qualification in Legal Studies can also lead to careers outside of the legal sector in social industries where legal insight can be of benefit.  Roles within the Benefits Agency, Social Services and other similar government organisations are often highly suited to recent graduates with a basic knowledge of the law.

The majority of undergraduate degree programmes will expect students to have a minimum of 3 A-levels, or equivalent and the programme of study should last a minimum of 3 years. Most post-graduate programmes, such as an MA will expect students to have a strong degree before starting this particular programme of study.

However Continuing Professional Development courses will be available to those already working within the legal sector, looking to develop their skills and further their career, These may take place over a matter of weeks or may last the full academic year.

If you are a non-native speaker of English, you will need to sit an IELTS test scoring a minimum of 6.0-6.5 to demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the language.

The majority of Legal Advice courses are predominantly lecture based with students learning about legal theories and their application to real-life scenarios. Most modules will be assessed by written exam although some courses may expect students to gain practical experience as part of the programme.

The cost of your course will also have a significant impact upon when, where and what you decide to study. So too will the entry requirements, Most undergraduate courses will only accept students with strong A-levels that demonstrate a candidates suitability to the course and most post-graduate courses requiring applicants to have a 2:1 degree. Before deciding that law is for you double check that you meet these entry requirements.

For those who can’t afford the fees there are a number of grants and scholarships available.

It is also vital that you choose somewhere which appeals directly to your personality. After all, you won’t remain a student forever, so it is important that you enjoy your time of study while it lasts. Most universities have open days, so you should attend these where possible and investigate the local area. Does it have enough of a social scene? Does it have too much?

You should also consider the opportunities available to you as a student of the university. As a career path, working in the legal sector is about your connections as well as your own academic talent, so you should aim to find a University that has forged a relationship with reputable legal companies within the local area to maximise your opportunities of finding relevant experience. Similarly look on the University website to see where previous alumni of the course have ended up finding employment. This will be a good indication of the options available for your career.

 Even if a work placement isn’t a compulsory part of your course, you should still try and find some extra-curricular experience. It looks amazing on your CV and demonstrates your passion for the industry!